Phoenix ghosts

A snake catcher has recounted the moment he captured one of the world's deadliest serpents—while stuck in a crawl space. Professional Ryan Fuller managed to catch the chilling lunges of the Eastern Brown snake on camera, as he sought to remove it from beneath a house in Queensland, Australia. He ended up on his hands and knees in the cramped space, as the "dramatic" snake defended itself, repeatedly striking. The venom of the Eastern Brown is deadly, with Australian Geographic naming it as the country's most dangerous snake. They're responsible for more deaths Down Under than any other snakes, with the site claiming they're famous for being "[f]ast-moving, aggressive and known for their bad temper." Their venom is ranked as the second most toxic among snakes in the world, as the site noted: "Its venom causes progressive paralysis and stops the blood from clotting, which may take many doses of antivenom to reverse. Victims may collapse within a few minutes." Incredibly, … [Read more...] about Watch moment world’s second deadliest snake lunges at man in a crawl space

American basketball star Brittney Griner has told a US diplomat she is "keeping the faith" after appearing in a Russian court on cannabis possession charges. US Charge d'Affaires Elizabeth Rood, who attended Friday's court hearing in Khimki, outside Moscow, told reporters she had been able to speak to the WNBA player, who was "as well as can be expected". The 31-year-old was arrested at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport in February while travelling to play for a Russian team. Police said she was carrying vape canisters with cannabis oil. The Phoenix Mercury star and two-time US Olympic gold medallist could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of large-scale transportation of drugs. Advertisement Griner's supporters have encouraged a prisoner swap like the one in April that sent home marine veteran Trevor Reed in exchange for a Russian pilot convicted of drug-trafficking conspiracy. Russian news media have repeatedly raised speculation Griner could … [Read more...] about US basketball star Brittney Griner ‘keeping the faith’ as she appears in Russian court on drugs charges

Written down, the words “you want it darker” could read like a question or an accusation. From Leonard Cohen, they’re a simple statement of fact, no judgement implied. You might say he delivers the title of his album and its opening track in a mutter if Cohen’s voice were capable of a mutter—82 years of living have weathered his instrument into something wholly unique and whose low, low rumble makes every word into a pronouncement. The “you” who wants it darker is God, and Cohen’s figured out his plan. This feeling of certainty, of total unwavering authority, makes Cohen’s You Want It Darker , out on Friday but streaming at NPR now , a riveting experience. When it comes to the weightiest issues of human existence, he’s past the point of questioning, and whether any listener is equipped to fully understand or accept the answers Cohen’s armed with is not his concern. The bulk of pre-release publicity around Cohen’s 14th album has come from a lengthy New Yorker profile by … [Read more...] about Leonard Cohen’s ‘You Want It Darker’ Is Riveting

Kesha on Late Night. Photo: YouTube The first post- Roe reversal week of late night is in the books, and — shock of all shocks — it was a huge bummer. A lot of people I know feel emotionally tapped out. Whether they’re getting through this time by dissociating, or raging, or that one guy DIY-ing a guillotine Mythbusters style, we’re seeing a wide array of coping behaviors. These behaviors were on full display on late night. Jimmy Kimmel Live! guest host Chelsea Handler seemed brimming with almost uncontainable rage during her opening monologues . Stephen Colbert’s commentary was the most granular, coming to grips with the text in a way others did not. Seth Meyers gave the floor to three of his women staffers and the CEO of Planned Parenthood. And Trevor Noah called for a more nuanced conversation. Again, shocking, I know. But beyond the attempts to joke through yet another week of shock and national mourning, the guests were on one. Capitalism doesn’t stop, so … [Read more...] about The Biggest and Quirkiest Personalities in Late Night This Week

How to revive Britain’s struggling towns? Investment in property or infrastructure? Some urban beautification, perhaps? No. The answer has been under our feet all along, covered in sticky carpet. That is what Lisa Nandy thinks, anyway. Yesterday, the shadow secretary of state for levelling up suggested that the key to unlocking the country’s economic potential could be reopening its nightclubs. “Every town has lost a nightclub that they feel strongly about, that was part of our history and our heritage,” Nandy, 42, told Times Radio. These are the engines of culture, she said. Without the music clubs in Wigan, where she is MP, bands like the Verve might never have got started. Nandy does these venues a disservice. As Matt Hancock – recently spotted cavorting with university friends in an Oxford nightclub – knows, the Bad Provincial Nightclub is a cornerstone of British identity. And according to the ONS, more than 30 per cent of Britain’s registered clubs have shut since 2010, … [Read more...] about The provincial nightclub is vital in learning how to be an adult

Unremarked upon so far has been the fact that Nicola Sturgeon is taking an enormous gamble in seeking to win the Supreme Court’s approval for what most observers reckon is her plan for an unlawful referendum on Scottish independence. No, not because it is a certainty that she’ll lose, although again that's the smart bet, but because since the SNP took a firm grip on the Scottish government 15 years ago, the relationship between its ministers and the Supreme Court has, to say the least, been extremely fraught. From its very foundation in 2009, nationalist ministers have taken great exception to what they’ve seen as the UK Court’s “interference” in the jealously guarded and unique Scottish legal system. This reached a head two years later when the then SNP justice minister Kenny MacAskill launched a scathing attack on the judges over their, in his view, ignorance of Scots law. He accused them of “ambulance chasing” and said the most they knew of Scotland was what they picked … [Read more...] about Cochrane’s Scotland: Sturgeon’s Nats will be hoping for a collective memory loss among the Supreme Court

Pension: Expert discusses tax relief on contributions Get pensions news and advice plus latest money alerts for FREE now SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info Pension saving can be achieved through a number of methods, including workplace savings or a private pension. The state pension, of course, is always an option for those who have enough National Insurance contributions but is being increasingly viewed as a safety net. The government website, however, states people may get less than the new full state pension if they were contracted out before April 6, 2016. Trending READ MORE State Pension: Payments can affect your Carer’s Allowance entitlement However, despite the multiple options for … [Read more...] about Pension warning: Britons ‘sleepwalking’ into retirement disaster – act now

President Trump did a solid job in trolling the media with his speech in Phoenix, but as he is wont to do, Trump was rather imprecise in his description of policy — in this case, his explanation of clean coal. Trump was touting how his administration has “ended the war on beautiful, clean coal.” “And it’s just been announced that a second brand-new coal mine where they’re going to take out clean coal — meaning they’re taking out coal, they’re going to clean it — is opening in the state of Pennsylvania,” Trump said . The president is certainly right to be promoting clean coal — and touting the return of the coal industry, which suffered immeasurably under President Obama — but the way he described it is not entirely accurate. To be fair, it is typical for ash and soot to be washed away or “cleaned” from coal ; there is also a process called coal washing, where liquid and crushed coal are mixed in order to purge certain minerals from the coal. But there are other ways … [Read more...] about Trump Said That ‘Clean Coal’ Is About Cleaning Coal. That’s Not Really True. | The Daily Wire

The New York Times isn’t the only outlet claiming white people with soot on their faces are actually portraying “ blackface .” For the Times, it was Mary Poppins and the chimney sweepers. For an opinion writer for the Arizona Central, part of USA Today, it was a photo of blue-collar workers having a drink after work . Opinion contributor Rashaad Thomas says he was in Phoenix recently at a holiday party. The restaurant he was in had photographs on the wall, as many do, but one in particular stood out to him. This photo showed a group of seven or so coal miners, covered head to toe in soot, their faces blackened to varying degrees, drinking beer at a pub. The photo also shows one man who doesn’t appear to be covered in soot and an unhappy woman. Thomas’ friends told him, “It’s coal miners at a pub after work.” He “asked a Latinx and white woman for their opinion.” The two said the photo appeared to be of coal workers having a drink after work. This didn’t sit well with … [Read more...] about Seeing Racism Everywhere: Photo Of Soot-Covered Coal Miners Criticized For ‘Blackface’ | The Daily Wire

US basketball star Brittney Griner went on trial at a court near Moscow on Friday to hear drug charges that could be punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Griner, 31, was told at this first hearing that she was charged with intentionally importing narcotics into Russia. The Phoenix Mercury player told the judge she understood the charges against her. The two time Olympic gold medalist plays in Russia during the Women’s National Basketball Association’s off season. She arrived at Khimki City Court, outside of Moscow, in handcuffs and wearing a Jimi Hendrix T-shirt and sneakers without laces. Griner was detained at a Russian airport in February, just a week before Russia invaded Ukraine , after authorities found vape cartridges containing oil from cannabis in her bag At the trial, she was accused by a prosecutor of smuggling less than a gram of cannabis oil into the country. The prosecutor argued that Griner intentionally brought the illicit substance into Russian … [Read more...] about WNBA star Brittney Griner appears in court in Russia for drug smuggling charges